Chapter Text
Mark Watney stared across the table he was seated at. His face’s expression didn’t reveal anything he thought and he might as well have been in the room alone. In contrast and seated opposite from him was Annie Montrose. Her face was slightly too expressive. Her arched brows and pursed lips hinted at her dislike for the astronaut she had to work with. Watney had been chosen for the media relations role aboard Hermes for the Ares 3 missions, and as the PR Director for NASA, his point person on earth would be Montrose. Neither of them were thrilled with this plan; Watney hadn’t actually met her yet, but he reputation had gone before her, and he didn’t think he’d like her one bit. (Martinez had warned him to stay on her good side. Getting on her bad side was… Well, bad. She was the Public Relations Director. If things went poorly, she could sour your whole reputation. For life.) Montrose had heard what a “playful and fun guy” Watney was, which in her mind translated pretty clearly to “immature and likely to cause problems.” Neither of them had any intention of being friendly towards each other; it would be strictly courteous for the sake of their jobs.
When they had entered the room there had been several other people there for a brief meeting. But before they knew it that meeting had ended too soon. Venkat Kapoor had patted Watney’s shoulder as he left, mentioning something about him and Montrose getting acquainted. Watney tried to hide his pleading look as Kapoor left him with his predator. Watney had squared his shoulders as he straightened in his seat facing towards the only other person in the room.
“So…” Mark drawled out slowly.
“Fuck.” Annie replied promptly.
Mark dropped his gaze to the table, pretending to reread over his responsibilities listed out in the file in front of him.
Annie shifted and pretended to have her attention caught by something outside the window.
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Mark had been born with one word written in pale lettering with elaborately messy handwriting on the inside of his upper arm over his bicep. When his father saw it, he promptly pretended to have not seen it and attempted to keep his wife distracted. However, in her excitement, she wanted to see what her son’s soulmate would first say to him.
“FUCK?” Mrs. Watney screamed. Which was unusual considering her upbringing and disapproval of “bad language.”
“Dear?” Jim Watney replied, making an accurate guess as to what she had shrieked about.
“The first thing Mark’s soulmate says to him is ‘Fuck’!” Maggie yelled again, attracting the attention of a few nurses. (They’d already seen the scrawled profanity on the infant, so they went on their way.)
“Yeah?” Jim tried to soothe her as he sat on the edge of the bed beside her and Mark. “It’s not the worst thing, Mags.”
“But how’re we supposed to tell our son about this? Don’t you think that’s inappropriate?”
“Well, hun, we’ll get there when we get there.” Jim ran a hand over his son’s small, bald head before leaning over to kiss his wife. “Look at it this way; at least he’s marked and we know someone is going to be out there for him one day.”
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This isn’t the worst situation, Mark thought to himself, still staring at the file. He’d read through it twice before this meeting and about five times since speaking without recognizing the words.
It hadn’t been the first time someone had said ‘fuck’ after meeting him, but none of the times had been like this – The very first thing said directly towards him as soon as they met. Mark knew this one was different; this one was supposed to be the one.
Mark shifted in the uncomfortable silence. He didn’t have to say anything. He could chalk this all up to how the two of them seemed pretty set on hating each other. After all, not all soulmates worked out. Some people rejected the whole “destiny and fate” thing anyway. Sometimes people were already in established relationships when they met their soulmates and simply decided to move on without addressing it. For others it worked out to just be platonic soulmates. And occasionally you weren’t your soulmate’s mate.
It was just his luck that it seemed that his soulmate and he were set up to hate each other from the get-go. What would this be called? Nemesis soulmates? If it weren’t such a painful thought he might have actually thought that was funny.
He hoped Annie hadn’t realized what was going on. Even more so, he nearly hoped he wasn’t her soulmate. He didn’t want this business relationship to get even messier than it already was shaping up to be.
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Annie Montrose first asked her mother about her soul-birth mark when she was six years old.
Two tiny letters at the base of her scalp, just below her hairline. Two tiny letters that would shape much of her life. Most people had full sentences, but hers was short and simple.
Annie had never seen her mark except for in mirrors. Her mother would trace the word with her fingertip, telling her daughter what it looked like and what it could mean. She grew up with a fairytale ideal, dreaming of the day she would meet her soulmate.
“So,” They would say, and then they would begin their journey together.
But little Annie Montrose grew up. And the dreamed about soulmate never came to make her dreams come true.
So Annie Montrose made her own dreams come true. Independent and secure in herself, she chased after her desires and burnt down anything that got in the way. Those childhood dreams were burnt like all the rest. She was a firecracker and sharp as a tack.
When Annie was twenty-four she decided to cut her hair so she couldn’t pull it up into a ponytail. She was tired of people asking what the “So” was. And who her “so and so” would be. She got a tattoo in matching script, one word at a time, centered down her spine, beginning with her soul-birth mark.
“So
many
roads.
So
many
detours.
so
many
choices.
So
many
mistakes.”
It was her favorite quote, by Sarah Jessica Parker. It seemed befitting of the young woman she was becoming.
And people quit asking about “So.”
So Annie forgot about her “so and so.”
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Annie cleared her throat. She didn’t want to address what had just occurred. (The moment she had waited for her entire life until she decided to quit waiting.) And things weren’t about to change just because of the (handsome) astronaut sitting across from her happened to be her soulmate. He was a co-worker who would be following her instructions in his job. Not to mention he was going to fucking Mars in six months.
She had burnt her childhood dreams to the ground and built a successful life for herself on top of the ashes. This wasn’t going to change a thing for her, and with luck, she was one of the tiny percentage of people whose soulmates didn’t align.
This wasn’t going to change a fucking thing.
“As I’m sure you’re already aware,” Annie began, “I’m Annie Montrose, NASA’s PR Director.”
“Good to meet you.” Mark replied, trying to be sincere.
“Yes,” She said, “I’m sure. Let’s talk about your new responsibilities as the media relations facilitator for Ares 3. Because you’re leaving in six months, we’re going to have you get started. Official twitter, instagram, facebook, etc, as well as schedule live video events…”
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“Well, folks, that about wraps up our tour here at NASA’s headquarters here at the Integrated Training Facility.” Mark smiled at the lens of his go-pro, “I hope everyone has enjoyed seeing the simulations. Be sure to tweet me your questions for next time!” He waved goodbye before shutting the recording off. It would be edited and released on youtube and other social medias later that week. He sighed when he glanced up and saw Annie Montrose waiting for him to finish.
“You haven’t been answering my calls, Watney.” She lectured him. Her arms folded over her chest before she approached him. They’d known each other for about two months and nothing had changed between them. They remained courteous but distant.
“I’ve been busy, sorry.” Mark didn’t even bother with the usual and chipper smile he maintained around other people.
“Don’t pull that bullshit with me.”
“Okay, fine.” Mark met her gaze, crossing his arms and mirroring her stance. “I have been busy. Busy avoiding your calls, that is.”
“Oh, ha-ha, Watney.” Annie almost rolled her eyes at him. Dealing with him was a pain in the ass. He was supposed to be her soulmate? Fuck that. “We’re supposed to be working on—“
“Yeah,” Mark interrupted, “I’ve been in contact with your office. I know the schedule and I’ve been keeping up with the media affairs. Everything is going according to plan and the public loves me.” He almost grinned, the corner of his lips tugging upwards slightly. Everyone but Annie seemed to love him. How ironic.
“Uh-huh,” She muttered something unintelligible under her breath. “The program for uploading from Hermes has been updates. I’m going to show you how to use it.”
“Couldn’t one of your techs?” Mark had unintentionally caught her.
Part of Annie couldn’t resist the idea of at least getting to know Mark a little bit better. Sure, he hadn’t disproved any of her first impressions, but she also hadn’t given him a chance to.
“Scared to find yourself in a room alone with me again, Mark?” They hadn’t been alone along together since they first spoke to each other. Annie turned on her heel and gestured for him to follow her towards a vacant computer lab.
“No, but I’m afraid of what I might do.” Mark’s lips finally curled into a smug smirk behind her back. What he really might do was try not to smack her sassy mouth and walk out. (But his mom had taught him better than that. So he resorted to verbal jibes.)
Annie inwardly groaned. This was going to be a long day. No, this was going to be a fucking long two years of dealing with Mark Fucking Watney.
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Annie awoke in a cold sweat. Another bad dream about who knows what. Her sleep had often been disturbed by dreams lately, but she couldn’t recall what had panicked her so much once she was awake. She had assumed it was due to the new sleep schedule she established as preparations went on. Shaking her hair out of its matted nest, she got up. It was early but she might as well. It was launch day.
In a few hours, she’d be watching the crew of Ares 3 leave the atmosphere. No doubt that the astronauts and their prep team had already been awake for a while by now.
Annie hopped in the shower and began going over her mental checklist for the day before she could become distracted. Her thoughts often strayed these days. It took more focus and determination to stay on track.
“So many detours,” She reminded herself. Detours take time, and that’s time she couldn’t afford to spend on thoughts of her so and so, Mark Watney.
She finished getting ready and forewent a breakfast in favor of a strongly brewed coffee. She could eat after the launch.
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The day he had spent most of his life waiting for had arrived. Mark Watney was finally going to Mars. He and the rest of the Ares 3 crew were about to be launched on a missile into outer space.
Despite the potential of dying today in a massive explosion and having his body rain down on the earth in tiny bits, Mark Watney couldn’t be more pleased. The past few months had been drug out with last minute training and extensive preparations. He knew the entire crew was eager to leave.
Earlier that morning, before the crack of dawn, the crew had met up for their last team meeting before leaving earth. It was intended to make sure everyone knew their roles in the next few hours, from what to say to the press and how long they had to talk with their families, to ‘Did you eat? You better not have eaten too much or you’ll puke’ from Beck. However, the conversation was slow. No matter how eager they were to go, everyone had their concerns for their affairs and family on earth. Vogel was the first one to break the silence.
“My wife and children almost didn’t make it here.” He lifted a hand and rubbed his palm against the scruff of his cheek, which he hadn’t shaved yet. “Their flight was delayed, and it took a few phone calls from NASA and ESA, but they’re here. I’m relieved that I will get to say goodbye today.”
Lewis nodded silently, understanding the sentiment. She hadn’t gotten to see her husband last night. She was looking forward to their goodbye today, even if it had to be brief.
“I’m happy for you, man.” Martinez spoke up. His wife had persuaded someone to get her in to see her husband late last night. She hadn’t stayed, but it meant a lot to him that she had come.
Beck, Johanssen, and Watney were single and besides their parents didn’t have anyone to say goodbye to.
Watney was glad that he didn’t have anyone else to say his farewell to. He couldn’t imagine leaving someone he cared about behind and it considered it better to be alone than to be concerned for someone else when he’d be actual years away.
It was for the best that he hadn’t met someone… Well, that was a lie. He’d met his soulmate, but he was certain that it would never in a million years work out between them.
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Annie stood to the side, watching the astronauts, all smiling, file into the room. There were going to be a few quick photos taken, and then they’d be ushered down to the hanger. From there they’d be escorted to the launch pad. The time for lift off was drawing near.
Watney and Martinez seemed to be joking about something; both of them had mischievous grins. Lewis kept shooting them warning glances. Annie almost wished she was privy to the ongoing teasing back and forth. In all the time she and Mark had been working together she had never mentioned that he was her soul mate. Wrong time, wrong place.
Annie wasn’t prone to daydreaming. She had broken that habit a long time ago. But something about Mark made her want to dream again. Maybe if she had spoken up they could have actually gotten to know each other.
Waiting until the photos were all taken and the astronauts were readying to go, Annie approached the group. She skipped a greeting and cut to the chase.
“I hope you’re all ready to go. It’s been a long few months.” They nodded in agreement, Mark especially, “I’m going to have to steal Watney.” She glanced towards the man, “He has to make the final media posts on earth for the group. Thanks-for-the-support and Tune-in-to-watch-me-leave-the-atmosphere-live, etc.”
Mark groaned slightly, which everyone ignored more or less, before he nodded and followed Annie to the side of the room. She smiled as she handed over a tablet, already logged into the accounts he was to update. He quickly came up with a brief but heartfelt post and turned the tablet for Annie to read the draft before he posted it. While she read, he noticed the too toothy smile she had.
“Careful, Montrose,” Mark commented, “Don’t smile too much; people might think you actually like me.”
Annie gave her approval for the post before she looked up to meet his gaze. Her lips pursed, but her eyes still seemed to dance. Mark’s heart fluttered. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her smile like that before.
“Shut up, Watney,” Annie cleared her throat, trying to contain herself, “Everyone knows I hate you.”
By now the other astronauts had left the room, leaving them alone. Neither of them noticed until someone yelled back that they were waiting.
“C’mon,” Mark replied cheekily as he turned to go, “Everyone knows you love to hate me.”
She couldn’t deny it, and before she could say anything else, Mark Watney had left the room. She stood in the doorway as she watched him go. She realized how hard her heart was pounding when she inhaled a breath she’d been holding. She’d have to really talk to him when he returned. It’d only be a few more years. She could wait for him that long; she’d already waited for her so and so this long anyway.
“But only I know that I might actually love you,” Annie said to no one but herself.
Squaring her shoulders, she left the room in the opposite direction. She would watch the launch from the observatory.
Never in her childhood dreams had she thought her knight in shining armor might actually be a nerdy guy in an orange jumpsuit.